By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 11/18/04)

When most people think of a puppet show, they picture small hand puppets in a box-like stage. When Glenmary Father Bruce Brylinski thinks of a puppet show, he thinks bigger — much bigger.

Inspired by the works of Julie Taymor, creator of many of the costumes for Broadway’s "The Lion King," Father Brylinski’s life-sized and brightly colored puppets give an engaging show for children of all ages and backgrounds.

For the past four years Father Brylinski has designed the puppets and produced puppet shows through INSKI (Incredibly Nutritious Stories Kaleidoscoping your Imagination) Theater. He performs puppet shows, with slight differences for Catholic and secular audiences, around Kentucky, West Virginia, New York and Canada.

"It’s a great evangelization tool," said Father Brylinski, sacramental minister for several Appalachian parishes including Sts. John and Elizabeth Parish in Grayson.

Harley the Harlequin, a French clown, begins and ends INSKI Theater’s first production, "Out of the Trunk." Inferno, the lord of the dark, enters to rap/hip-hop music. He has a job that needs to be done, but no one to do it yet. Inferno decides to call on an old friend, Shake the Snake — a beautiful blue and pink puppet. Shake tells the audience how a long time ago, he helped Inferno by getting two people to eat some fruit in a beautiful garden. He knew God wasn’t too happy with him after that, and Shake wasn’t sure he wanted to help Inferno again. Inferno tries to convince Shake to help him but is scared away when he hears God coming.

The Caribbean-style, yellow-haired God wears a colorful tie-dyed outfit and sunglasses, identified as only one possibility of what God might look like. God gives Shake confidence to be himself and to not be intimidated by Inferno.

Leopold the Leopard, a skateboarding California dude, is the prophet that comes to encourage Shake once God leaves. After Shake decides what to do, Harley the French clown comes out again and sings a song tying the story into one lesson: Be yourself.

Father Brylinski voices and moves each puppet, sometimes two at a time, and he coordinates the sound effects and music. Parishioners from Sts. John and Elizabeth Church in Grayson, Ky., help build the large puppets and compose music.

Father Brylinski writes his own scripts and creates the puppets around the stories. Upcoming shows include, "I Wanna Be a Rock Star," with four new puppets, and a story about Lazarus and the rich man.

INSKI Theater "provides a safe environment for the kids," Father Brylinski said, adding that it is a creative outlet that also helps their moral development. "The kids are always enthralled."

For more information about the puppet shows call 606/474-9979.